Electrochemical batteries

ABSTRACT

A multicell battery having nonconductive, replaceable cell partitions having a closed configuration such as cylindrical and being coated both inside and outside with conductive material to provide an electrode in each of two adjacent cells. The cell partitions are set in a nonconductive yieldable sealing material forming the bottom of the cells and are united by a bridging element for withdrawal and replacement as a unit.

I United States Patent [151 3,635,766 Quisling 51 Jan. 18, 1972 [54]ELECTROCHEMICAL BATTERIES 2,968,686 1/1961 Duddy ..136/6 3,369,9372/1968 Him [72] Inventor: Sverre Quleling, 1240 Sherman Ave., 3,377,2014/1968 wagzler et ah 53703 3,457,112 7/1969 Reber ..136/6 [22] Filed:June 25, 1969 Primary Examiner--Winston A. Douglas PP 836-384AssistantExaminer-C. F. Lefevour Attorney-John M. Winter [52] US. Cl...136/100, 136/6, 136/166 51 1m.c1. ..1H0lm 17/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58]Field olSearch ..136/100, 13, 14,6,83,69, A multicell battery havingnonconductivc. replaceable cell 136/70, 133, 166, 143, I34 partitionshaving a closed configuration such as cylindrical and being coated bothinside and outside with conductive [56] defences m material to providean electrode in each of two adjacent cells, The cell partitions are setin a nonconductive yieldable sealing UNITED STATES PATENTS materialforming the bottom of the cells and are united by a bridging element forwithdrawal and replacement as a unit. 1,419,396 6/1922 Manwaring ..136/62,920,127 1/1960 Vogt ..136/6 1 Clalms,3Drawing Figures l p I E :-El\ l02 *:-:;i" 1 --=fiE;

l2 l8 l5 9 l. ELECTROCHEMICAL BATTERIES FIELD OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to electrochemical devices and elec trode constructiontherefor.

In known primary-type electrochemical devices, such as conventional drycells, all of energy that the cell will ever deliver is put in aschemical energy when the cell is made. When this energy is depleted thecell is dead. The fuel for a conventional dry cell is its metallic zinccontainer which acts as a negative electrode. When this cell deliverscurrent, the zinc goes into solution to form zinc chloride and when thezinc has been consumed the cell must be discarded and replaced with afresh one.

In known storage cells such, as the conventional lead-acid battery, theelectrodes are made of lead and lead peroxide in a sulfuric-acidelectrolyte. The active materials are most commonly in the form ofpastes held in lead allow grids. Storage batteries, of course, employcompletely reversible chemical reactions and are therefore rechargeable.Howeventhe active materials tend to flake off the grids with repeatedcharging and discharging thereby eventually requiring an entirebatteryto be replaced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Basically, my invention in multicellelectrochemical devices comprises nonconductive, replaceable cellpartitions formed in a closed configuration, such as cylindrical, anddisposed substantially in series, such as concentrically. The cellpartitions are coated on both their inside and outside surfaces withconductive material to provide an electrode in each of two adjacentcells separated by the partition.

The cell partitions are set in a nonconductive, yieldable, sealingmaterial forming the bottom of said cells. The electrode-forming cellpartitions are united by a bridging element which may be in the form ofa removable cover for the battery to facilitate removal and replacementof the electrode fon'ning cell partitions when the electrode materialthereon has been substantially depleted. Accordingly, the electrodes canbe readily replaced with an electrode refill unit rather than rechargingthe battery or replacing the worn out battery in its entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of a multicellelectrochemical battery embodying my invention, with a portion of thecover thereof broken away to show the concentric cell formation therein.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of my in vention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more specificallyto the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral views, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a multicellelectrochemical battery 10, embodying myinvention.

The battery has a nonconductive cylindrical container 11 made of plasticor other suitable nonconductive material. Sealing means 12 shown in theform of a nonconductive, yieldable, matrix material such as tar or thelike is provided in the bottom of the container 11. A circular cover 13of substantially rigid nonconductive material is removably secured onthe container 11 by peripheral wingnuts 14.

The cover has a concentric series of nonporous, nonconductive,cylindrical partitions 15 depending therefrom and extending into theyieldable sealing material 12 to provide a series of concentricallyspaced individual annular cells 16. While the cell partitions 15 areshown in a cylindricalconfiguration, it is understood that they maybe ofany other closed geometric configuration such as triangular, rectangularor polygonal. The central element 17 may be rod shaped as shown.

In the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. I and 2, the inwardly facingsurface of each of the partitions 15 is coated with a conductivematerial such as lead peroxide to form an annular positive electrode l8in each of the cells 16. The outwardly facing surface of eachcylindrical partition 15 is coated with a conductive material having adifferent electrochemical value than the positive electrode material,such as lead, to form an annular negative electrode 19in each cell.

An electrolyte 20 such as a sulphuric-acid solution is provided in eachcell. The electrolyte in the cells may be replenished through capedinlets 21.

The conductive materials forming the electrodes 18 and 19 may be formedon the partitions 15 by dipping, brushing, spraying, pasting,laminating, blowing, or any other coating method suitable for theparticular materials involved.

Each of the positive electrodes 18 is connected to a positive terminal22 by an electrical conductor 23 and each of the negative electrodes 19is similarly connected to a negative terminal 23 by anelectricalconductor 25. The conductors 23 and 25 are preferably imbeddedin the nonconductive cover 13 as shown in FIG. 2.

The cover 13 provides a bridging unit connecting the electrode formingpartitions 15. When the battery has lost its charge or when theelectrodes have deteriorated to a point such that the battery cannot berecharged, the electrodes may be removed as a unit by releasing wingnutsl4 and lifting the cover off with handle 26. A new or recoated electroderefill unit may then be inserted whereby the coated partitions 15 engagethe sealing material 12 to form the individual sealed annular cells.

The second embodiment of my invention shown at 30 in FIG. 3 isparticularly well suited for a primary-type cell in which only thenegative electrode material is consumed during operation. Unlike thecommon dry cell where the entire battery must be replaced, in thisembodiment of my invention the depleted negative electrode can bereadily replaced as a unit.

In this form of my invention, the battery 30 has a noncon ductivecylindrical container 31. The container has upstanding, cylindrical,concentrically disposed, cell partitions 32 formed integral with thebottom of the container. Both sides of these upstanding partitions 32are coated with a conductive material such as copper or the like to forma positive electrode 33.

As in the first embodiment, while these partitions 32 are shown in acylindrical configuration, they can take any geometrically closed shapeso as to form individual cells.

The positive electrodes 33 are connected by an electrical conductor 34imbedded in the container material to a positive terminal 35 mounted onthe edge of the container.

The nonconductive cover 36 in this embodiment has a series of dependingcylindrical cell partitions 37 that are alternately interspaced betweenthe anode-forming partitions 32 and extend into the yieldable sealingmaterial 38 to provide a series of concentrically spaced individualannular cells 39. Both sides of partitions 37 are coated with aconductive material such as zinc to form an annular negative electrode40 in each of the cells 39. The negative electrode 14 are connected byan electrical conductor 41 to a negative terminal 42 in the cover.

Accordingly, when the negative electrode material has been consumed byreaction with the electrolyte, the battery may be immediatelyrejuvenated by merely releasing the wingnuts 43 and lifting handle 44 toremove the cover which forms a bridging unit for the negative electrodeforming partitions 37 and replacing same with a new or recoated refillunit.

The examples of materials given herein for various elements are merelyillustrative and it is understood that the invention does not reside inthe particular materials used and that any suitable materials may beemployed without departing from the concept of the invention.

Iclaim:

ll. In an electrochemical battery, the improvement comprismg:

a. a nonconductive container,

b. a nonconductiye yieldable sealing means in the bottom of d. anonconductive cover removably secured on said container, said electrodecoated partitions being attached to and extending downwardly from saidcover to facilitate removal and replacement of said plurality of saidcoated partitions as a unit.

1. In an electrochemical battery, the improvement comprising: a. anonconductive container, b. a nonconductive yieldable sealing means inthe bottom of said container, c. a plurality of replaceablenonconductive partitions releasably set in said nonconductive yieldablesealing means to form a plurality of individual closed cells in saidcontainer, said partitions being coated with conductive electrodematerial, and d. a nonconductive cover removably secured on saidcontainer, said electrode coated partitions being attached to andextending downwardly from said cover to facilitate removal andreplacement of said plurality of said coated partitions as a unit.